This is why 2B and others wear blindfold

[alez444]

There's no official word from Developers that they are visors. Are we forgetting that 2B and the rest are cyborgs and not humans? Their visors are built into their robotic eyes. Lets not forget. That blindfold is made of fabric so no way it's a visor and without it, they might not fight as aggressive as having them on. If you think about it for a minute... some people in this world fight with their eyes shut. It helps them fully focus on putting out all their might without any hesitation in throwing out all the punches. It sounds foolish to do this, but it works for some in knocking out the other person with a few blows (if you watch enough UFC you know what I'm talking about).

We all can only speculate, but to me I think 2B has Jiu Jitsu skills at level 1 (highest). They can fight without seeing. More on Jiu Jitsu can be found here....

http://japanesejiujitsu.blogspot.com/2012/09/normal-0-0-1-452-2578-21-5-3165-11.html

This is the kind of stuff you hear about in Japan, and it would make sense that Platinum and the Developers intentionally did this to their characters. It left many gamers wondering why would cyborgs need to be blindfolded. That's because they're so good that they don't need to see and can use their sense on locating where their target is. It allows them to slice through metal objects carelessly with full force.

Do you guys agree?

[Ogami]

They are visors. There is a stageplay of Nier Automata that came out before the game released (in Japan) and in that is explictly stated that the blindfolds are nanotech and act as visors that collect data from the enviroment and project it on to the eyes of the android unit. For example the transmissions you get from the bunker get projected by the visor.

It's a technical visor that all YoRHa androids wear. And they don't wear it of their own choosing. It is part of their duty as YoRHa androids to always keep it on. In the play, they only remove it at certain points in the story.

[alez444]

Thanks for the detail info. I tried googling and it brought me here. Many said it's a visor but there was no backup to their statement. I can only imagine their eyes are made of visors, because they're not humans. If that stageplay holds true then end of discussion.

[Aemony]

Originally posted by Ogami:

For example the transmissions you get from the bunker get projected by the visor.

This is awesome, and no something I had previously realized. It explains why 2B doesn't see 9S' conversation with his operator, and vice-versa.

*However*... How come they don't hear each other's conversations with their operators? :O

[Ogami]

Originally posted by sXsDJ.StaRMecha:

Thanks for the detail info. I tried googling and it brought me here. Many said it's a visor but there was no backup to their statement. I can only imagine their eyes are made of visors, because they're not humans. If that stageplay holds true then end of discussion.

With Nier there is a TON of extra material outside the game. There is even a lot of stuff that is set AFTER the final ending E. There was a thread here on this forum with links to mosto f the translated extra material.

Ah here: https://theark.wiki/w/I_just_got_Ending_E

Its pretty interesting. Spoiler for after achieving ending E of course.

Originally posted by Aemony:

Originally posted by Ogami:

For example the transmissions you get from the bunker get projected by the visor.

This is awesome, and no something I had previously realized. It explains why 2B doesn't see 9S' conversation with his operator, and vice-versa.

*However*... How come they don't hear each other's conversations with their operators? :O

I guess since the picture gets projected right on their eyes, the sound will be transmitted to their audio circuits and not really spoken aloud. They are androids after all.

[Citronvand]

Originally posted by sXsDJ.StaRMecha:

2B and the rest are cyborgs and not humans?

Android. They're androids.

Cyborg = A human that has machine/robot parts.
Android = A robot that looks like a human.

My take on the blindfolds? They're there because Yoko Taro thought they looked cool. The problem I have with them being a visor is that they don't even have nightvision. What kind of super high-tech nano visor doesn't have nightvision? We have that today... and this is supposedly some 9000 years into the future? Instead they're forced to using a primitive flashlight that give away their position. Yeah right.

[Akat]

The blindfolds also seem symbolic to how the androids blindly follow orders.

[alez444]

Originally posted by Citronvand:

Originally posted by sXsDJ.StaRMecha:

2B and the rest are cyborgs and not humans?

Android. They're androids.

Cyborg = A human that has machine/robot parts.
Android = A robot that looks like a human.

My take on the blindfolds? They're there because Yoko Taro thought they looked cool. The problem I have with them being a visor is that they don't even have nightvision. What kind of super high-tech nano visor doesn't have nightvision? We have that today... and this is supposedly some 9000 years into the future? Instead they're forced to using a primitive flashlight that give away their position. Yeah right.

Yeah thanks for correcting me. I meant to say android (non humans), but mistaken it as a cyborg. Then there's mechs that can be pilot by humans, cyborgs, and androids lol

[Citronvand]

Originally posted by Malaria Sama:

The blindfolds also seem symbolic to how the androids blindly follow orders.

I don't know about that. They don't seem to be following orders more than any human soldier in present day. Naturally they should follow orders, they are soldiers after all, but for instance in the beginning you can turn off your self-destruct and 9S agrees to hide it from command.

[Aemony]

Originally posted by Citronvand:

Originally posted by Malaria Sama:

The blindfolds also seem symbolic to how the androids blindly follow orders.

I don't know about that. They don't seem to be following orders more than any human soldier in present day. Naturally they should follow orders, they are soldiers after all, but for instance in the beginning you can turn off your self-destruct and 9S agrees to hide it from command.

"Emotions are prohibited", then?

Their blindfolds hides most of their facial expressions, after all.

[DeadByLag]

Originally posted by Aemony:

*However*... How come they don't hear each other's conversations with their operators? :O

We shouldn't assume they are using vocal chords to vibrate the air to talk to each other. The verbal exchange we "hear" is very possibly just for us gamers to listen in. They may very well be communicating securely through encrypted radio transmission.

[Kunomatata]

Originally posted by Malaria Sama:

The blindfolds also seem symbolic to how the androids blindly follow orders.

Pretty much.
Its an angel motiff. A lot of JRPGs art stylize angels with chains or blindfolds on. In the old old old old Angelic Servant / Messenger / Warrior Casts they didn't have eyes because it symbolized they only needed their Creators 'direction' / 'vision' of moving forward.

[felixader]

Also i want to point out that we have flexible screens nowadays. They are nowhere near whet SciFi promises yet, but we have them.

[Ceriss]

I'm pretty sure the deeper meaning is that when they remove it they sever their ties to just being a android guided along a path laid out for them.

They become something more when they finally take it off, they can finally see the truth of the world and themselves. They're finally more than just the sum of their parts.

They started blind and obedient and they ended brave enough to see with their own eyes for once.

To further nail it A2 knows everything from the start and she is never seen with a blindfold.

[Kindress]

Originally posted by Malaria Sama:

The blindfolds also seem symbolic to how the androids blindly follow orders.

I really like how you point out this kind of symbolism. They are expected to be blind of their own sight and follow the images and directions provided by their superiors, hardly questioning anything. If anything, this game teaches us all to take our blindfolds off, even if they're comforting.

Originally posted by Blanc:

To further nail it A2 knows everything from the start and she is never seen with a blindfold.

She knows what now? "Command betrayed you" doesn't tell us much, and even A2 didn't know about the true history of the machines or the purpose of YoRHa or the aliens. Instead, A2 took it off and began living her own life without orders, even without knowing the full truth.

[Konachibi]

While my theory is unlikely, especially after reading posts made in this thread, I always thought it was possibly because Android pupils cannot dilate with changes to light, and since Earth seems to mostly be bright and sunny (at least in the City Ruins), and robots tend to explode in bright flashes, the blindfolds act as a filter so they aren't blinded by sunlight, explosions etc. Kind of like putting net curtains across your windows to stop sunny days casting glare across your T.V screen.
Some fabrics do allow you to see through them while still obscuring your eyes to other people, such as nylon, which I've seen 2B cosplayers use as a blindfold without greatly hindering their vision.